Carleton University’s Blackbird UAV Team has placed third in the design paper phase of the Unmanned Aerial Systems Student Competition.
The Carleton team is now among 18 teams that have qualified for the flying phase to take place in Southport, Manitoba from April 29 to May 1.
Students are tasked with finding a variety of targets scattered over an airfield. As an added challenge, the students are faced with real life scenarios involving the environment, agriculture, mining, transportation and oil and gas sectors, where they must locate the scenario components, collect the data and provide analysis in a written report, all within a time limit. Prizes for both phases will be presented at the competition awards banquet on the closing evening.
This year’s Student Papers Competition winner is also from Carleton. Michael Cunningham was awarded first prize on a topic of his choice related to Unmanned Vehicle Systems, which he presented at the annual conference in Halifax in November 2015. Next, Cunningham will be hosted by Unmanned Systems Canada at the international Unmanned Vehicle Systems conference in New Orleans in May 2016.
About the Unmanned Systems Canada Student Competition:
The purpose of the competition is to promote and develop Canadian expertise and experience in unmanned systems technologies at the university and college levels. Even small scale unmanned systems are complex vehicles requiring a well-planned and executed design approach. The competition takes place in two phases – the Phase I design report from each team due in January and Phase II, the operational flying demonstration in May.
Teams will be graded on the quality and completeness of their design report and the results of the demonstrations –separate prizes are awarded for each phase. The format of the competition is designed to be an equal challenge for both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft with some teams flying both platforms. To be eligible, students must be registered in a full-time program at a Canadian university or college, and design and successfully fly their UAV, with confirmation in a qualifying video.